Disaster Strikes
by Mitrioselove
Summary: No matter what in life we have fears to overcome. Stepping out from her normal Rose learns that life is so much more.


People talk about disasters happening all the time. There's planning, stocking, what to do after the fact and so much more taken into consideration. But what you rarely hear about is how to handle your emotions, what to do when and if your panic sends you into a spiraling hole. Panic was a strong emotion, an overwhelming feeling that consumed you from the inside out. I had never even heard of panic this deep, let alone what to do when it happened to you. I for one had never been one to panic, I looked at things and planned, even on short notice I got myself out of the situation at hand. But as I took in the swirling death that was heading straight for my house, I finally knew what true panic was.

My parents had decided that the mid west, more specifically Oklahoma, was the best place for us to re start our lives when I was only thirteen. At first I had no idea what they were doing, but as we drove through the flat plains, I knew life was never going to be like it had been in New York. I hated everything about the damn state, from its large expansions of nothing to its lack of anything to do. And even after hating it with a passion for six years. I stayed. I spent four more years in college and when I graduated, the place had finally grown on me. The nothingness became my peace, the lack of population a blessing. Even after my parents had moved on to California, I stayed.

I had spent almost twelve years here now and never once had I been worried or fearful of those famous tornados. In all honesty I had never seen one, never had one close enough for me to worry. But I should have known better. The mid west was known for these twirling storms, but I did not worry. I mean after twelve years of nothing, I simply thought it was never going to happen. Maybe it had been because my parents had constantly told me it was all fine, that it would never happen. I now knew it was their way of keeping me calm.

Though I was stocked with water and canned foods, I should have seen that none of those things mattered if I didn't survive the tornado about to hit my small home, miles away from anything or anyone. I was on my own, and never had that thought ever worried me or scared me. Right now though I wanted someone, anyone. Perhaps they would be able to snap me out of this trance, because all I could do was stare.

No matter how hard I tried I could not move. My eyes focused on the marvelous cone spinning closer and closer to me. It was dangerous but so gorgeous at the same time. Its twirling motions hypnotizing me. I was truly and throughly frozen. Life flashing before my eyes, my body still but my mind reeling. For goodness sake I was single, alone, and only had a few friends. I screamed at myself to move, that if I ran now I may make it to my bunker right outside the back door. Where safety waited for me, with water and food. And even a small cot. But I couldn't look away, I feared if I looked away it would get me faster harder. So no I couldn't turn my back on it. I couldn't even if I tried, and I knew what would happen if I stayed there.

"Miss you have to come." I could hear the deep voice behind me but I couldn't turn. I couldn't even register that someone was in my house, when I lived alone.

"I'm going to carry you."

I couldn't look away though. I could hear it now, the humming so loud it was almost comforting. A tornado reflecting in my eyes as I stood there, frozen, panicked. One moment I saw it the next I saw a blur of my house. The couch, the stove, my back door. I could feel the wind in my hair, strong hands around me, as I floated further away from the tornado. A loud thud finally brought me back as darkness inclosed around me.

"Ahh!" I let out a scream as I felt arms around me. I had just been alone, I had just been about to face my death, what the hell had happened.

"It's ok. We are in your bunker miss." Slowly I took a breath in. My bunker. I'm safe.

"Who are you?" I jumped back hitting a stack of cans, I could hear them scatter but could not see them.

"A pretty shitty storm chaser. I was driving by your house and saw you at your window with the storm coming." I gasped. "I couldn't leave a lady there."

"Oh my god!" I started shaking. I had almost let myself die. "Oh my god!"

The noise outside the door was deafening, it was as if death was trying to work its way inside. We were whispering and I had no idea how we could hear each other. The storm seeming to now be hitting my house and I heard windows shatter. The bunker door shaking some and I backed away. Only to bump and trip over my spilled cans. What had just happened?

"Is there a light?" Was there a light? A light.

"In the middle of the room there's a string attached to a bulb." A click later and the room was dimly lit. It still caused me to shut my eyes, and when I opened them I could barely breathe.

"Are you ok?" All I could do was nod.

The man before me was gorgeous. No, that wasn't even a proper word, but then again I couldn't come up with one. I just had simply never seen a man like him. The boys around here were good looking, strapping cowboys, and I had dated some. But this man was movie star looks, with a hint of pro athlete. He was stunning, with his chiseled jaw and charming shoulder length hair. He looked humbled, and yet so confident. I knew as long as I lived I would never forget him.

"I'm ok. Thank you." Truly feeling grateful I threw my arms around him. He hesitated, but soon hugged me back. His smell filling my nostrils, he was clean, fresh. New.

"I'm just glad I was in the right place at the right time." I pulled away nodding and settling back on the floor.

The noise outside was dying out, but the siren that had originally warned me was still sounding loud and clear. We would have to stay down here for at least a bit longer. I sighed sitting back against the wall, and the man joined me. His eyes kept flashing to the door with longing and I was confused, why would he want to go back out there. I replayed his words in my head and looked back at him, his eyes alight as he listened.

"Did you say storm chaser?" He chuckled lightly, and then met my eyes, I was throughly interested in this occupation, not because of what it was but how someone could be so fearless.

"Yea, though this was the first one I had finally caught up to."

"Oh my god and I ruined it!" He had been out there, chasing this monster and it was my fault he had to stop, though I was grateful I felt bad.

"It's fine miss.."

"Rose."

"Dimitri."

Thankfully soon after the sirens stopped and we were able to get out. And my house was gone. Boards and random parts all that was left. I couldn't be more happy that I had not been in it. Dimitri had saved me and I would be forever grateful. Dimitri had been nice enough to drive me to my friends house, who had thankfully not been hit. But that had been the last I had seen of him. I left him with a quick hug, a thank you, and a sad wave good bye. He jumped in his truck about to speed off, another tornado spotted near by, but he stopped just long enough to give me one long look. One I would never be able to forget.

A year passed and I still saw his face in my dreams. I wondered what storm he was chasing now. Storm chasers came and went around these parts but they were never him. I would wonder what he was doing, where he was. If I would ever see him again. I was still to this day so thankful he saved me. He was my hero, though it felt weird to call him that. He had done what he had done for me because he wanted to without thought.

I wondered how I was going to survive another tornado season. I had, a new house built in the same spot. The land too hard to give up. And I refused to be scared. I swore this time I would be ready. But still that feeling creeped inside of me, that lingering panic that the last tornado had left inside of me. I hated it, but yet somehow embraced it.

"So Christian and I are going to St. Vlad's tonight wanna come?" Lissa's voice brought me back from my thoughts, as I stared out the window.

"Shouldn't you be staying safe." She sighed and came closer to me, her fingers linking with mine.

"Rose they can happen suddenly and anywhere. You can't be scared of them, or you'll never live. That or you need to move away from here." My eyes snapped to hers anger building inside of me. "But just know everywhere has its own disasters."

"I'm not scared. I just... I froze Liss. Some random guy had to save me." As much as never seeing Dimitri got to me, it bothered me more that I would have stayed and died. My fear so consuming.

"I know Rose. I just want to help." I looked at my best friend and finally saw the truth.

So wordlessly I got up to get ready. Wearing my normal jeans and flannel, I followed my friend to our bar. It was most definitely our bar too. We had been going to it since before we were legal. The owner a young man named Adrian, that was all too willing to let us come in and drink. In a small town like this no one told on us, and most certainly did not get him in trouble. But as we aged we got smarter, and we became the crowd to hang back. We still had fun, but now we watched the younglings make fools of themselves.

"Rose!" My name was shouted through the bar as my friends Mason and Eddie came up to me engulfing me in a hug.

And with them, Lissa and Christain I spent my night. Drinking beers, joking and finally feeling a little more like my old self. There seemed to be something missing, but I tried not to dwell on it. I was out and having fun. And for the first time in a long time I slept that night without dreaming about that swirling death coming towards me.

All this past year I had been living under a rock. Worried for another tornado, scared I would freeze. I hadn't been living. I'd been existing. Lissa was right, disasters struck everywhere. I had to get out of here, this house. And in doing so I had conquered another fear, and I felt great. Dimitri had helped me get a second chance at life, and I was wasting it.

Days turned to weeks, and I was finally feeling like my old self. I told myself over and over again this time I would not panic. I knew what to do. I could save myself. Plus, being saved once was a miracle in itself. I had one life and I sure as hell wasn't going to just hand it over. Plus, I had my bunker, it would keep me safe just like the last time. I just had to do the work this time.

So when sirens pierced the air on a Saturday afternoon, I took a deep breath, and walked to my bunker. I could see the tornado out in the distance but I felt no fear, just a longing to get in my bunker. I opened the door to my bunker but was stopped by a hand, a hand I could recognize anywhere even if it had only touched me a few times.

"Want to really face your fears?" His voice was loud as the tornado came closer.

"I am." I pointed to the bunker and he shook his head no.

"Come chase it with me?" My eyes widened as I looked between the tornado, Dimitri and his decked out pick up truck.

"I...I..."

"I'll keep you safe." With those words I closed my bunker and followed him. He grabbed my hand running, he opened the door for me, his hair flying everywhere as he closed my door and jumped over the hood to get to his.

He sped off towards my whirling nightmare, causing my heart to pound against my chest. But I noticed it was different, I wasn't scared, or panicked I was thrilled. I looked beside me, and Dimitri was practically jumping in his seat. A huge smile on his plump lips as he sped in the direction everyone else was leaving. He reached between us and pulled out a camera.

"Pull down the window and record." Without thought I did as he said.

And it was there hanging out of the window of his truck wind in my hair, so close to the tornado that I found my calling. Years of college and I never had a passion. Years of working and nothing. But the feeling consuming me as I could almost touch the monster was like no other. The truck stopped and Dimitri came through the window as well a camera in his hand aimed at the beast. We met eyes for a moment before we focused on the animal howling before us.

And as quickly as it came it was gone. Laughter, my laughter filled the air as I looked towards Dimitri.

"That was! Oh my god that was..."

"Life changing."

Dimitri leaned in and without second thought planted his lips upon mine. I didn't think I acted. My hands wrapping around his neck bumping the camera into him though he didn't seem to care, pulling him closer. My lips parting to invite him in. I had never been kissed this way. I had never lived until this day. I felt like I was on a cloud, my heart beating fast, I was shaking. But I was so happy.

"You'd make an amazing storm chaser." His words ghosted my lips and I chuckled.

"That was amazing."

"The kiss or the tornado?" He pulled back his eyes calculating.

"Both. And I want more." I pulled him back sealing another kiss, one of the many more to come on our epic adventure we called life.

 _ **K so I know its been forever. But take this is my comeback! I have been having such a hard time writing, but I figured this would help me ease back into it. So a one shot it is. Keep a look out cause I plan on writing one more one shot, M rated before I get back to my saga! Let me know what you think!**_

 _ **Also I am now owner/operator of Little Tyke Care! I run a daycare out of my home, I have four little guys and I love it. So you can imagine I am always busy! But I promise to write more! I need to esp with my husband leaving again for a deployment!**_

 _ **Review Please!**_


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